I really hope this mansion can stay there for a very long time. Looks wonderful, doesn`t?

Some statue safed from Tiger Balm Garden, I wish this place would still exist, would be wonderful to see it.

After that I went to Tai Po.
This is inside the Plover Cove Road Market.
Fish lying to dry.

Of course I can`t read it but the writing on the bamboo pieces is quite ... old fashioned. Not?

I`m so happy to see that the fishball store next door has finally changed from using plastic to paper cups.

In the evening was again yoga with AR.
This pic is taken from the Kwun Tong Vessel area, you can see Central/Wan Chai in the middle. The long silver thing on the left half belongs to former Kai Tak airport.
Heavy rain but beautiful clouds.

After that, dinner with a dear friend at Tsui Wah. Okra and soysauce with wasabi - what a great taste. And scrambled eggs with okra and rice - yummy! The drink was hot coke with lemon an ginger. Never had that before, but what a great taste.

No idea about tomorrow because forecast is still showers and squally t-storms. _________________Water which is too pure has no fish.

I had to lol to the statue saved from Tiger Balm Garden, it reminds me one certain person this website is dedicated to . Too bad the HK location is closed. I wonder how the other 2 remaining ones (in China and in Singapore) look like .

The shops in Tai Po, what can I say, perhaps your favorite king cobra will ended up on one of those bamboo menu . Anyway, be very very CAREFUL when you revisit your snake .

Last but not the least, you dinner sound and looks very yummy indeed . Every time I hear wasabi (love the stuff that opens all your senses ), I am reminded the TTTTT in Seoul Raiders .

Today my day started with a nice breakfast at famous Hoi On Cafe.
Macaroni in soup, pineapple bun and milk tea.

Then, forecast wasn`t too good, I wanted to hike in Tai Tam Reservoir. After a short time I received a message from HK Observatory that thunderstorm is expected within a few hours. Shall I continue? Who knows where I will end up at the end of the hike, because this area has so many options. Then I met 2 domestic helpers and asked them. One of them said "No, weather is always like that. Nothing will come soon." From the way she responded to my question by checking the hills around us, I trusted her.
So Tai Tam Reservoir - colourful.

Seems to be some old installations

To continue, I hiked towards Mt. Parker/Quarry Bay and clouds got darker and the wind stronger but the birds kept singing so that should be a good sign for not raining very soon. So I upped my pace, wich was quite a workout because it`s all uphill and reached Quarry Gap Pavillion dry. I took a rest at the pavillion and a local asked me if I wanted to continue up the hill to the top of Mt Parker. I asked him about the rain and after he checked his mobile he said it will start raining in about 1 hour, maybe a bit less. So the hill has to wait till next time. He mentioned it`s maybe 30 minutes till I reach the city. OK that`s it because after yesterday`s experience of heavy rain, I really didn`t want to get soaked.
On my way down I saw something brown near the rubbish bins and there was a wild boar who was so busy searching for food then noticing me.

Almost there, this must be Quarry Bay. See the clouds, it must be raining real soon.

And really I almost got to the end dry. I wanted to sit and was a bit hungry so I went to the cooked food section in Quarry Bay market. When I went in, everybody was looking at me, probably not many foreigners are going there. I have seen only locals. There even was a place which had an english menu, Szechuan chicken with rice, soup and iced lemon tea. Zoom in. On the left side you can see the peppers. HOT! But oh so yummy.

In the evening I met Agnes, Swan and Tina for dinner. Yummy food in nice company, what else can one ask for?

And of course dessert. Coconut paradise is mine called. At Auntie Sweet in Tin Hau.

So the shop with the bamboo menu is a snake shop? Would I`ve known that, I`d have snooped around a bit.

I thought you couldn't read the menu on bamboo - they were to small to see. The big letters for the shop name translates "Dragon Gate Inn Snake Stew Specialty Store" (龍門客棧蛇羹專門店). Now you know .

Tin-Yau wrote:

I love wasabi too. Your "TTTTT" made me LOL ..... on a bus.

Wonder if your fellow passengers gave your a strange look .

Tin-Yau wrote:

Zoom in. On the left side you can see the peppers. HOT! But oh so yummy.

You actually can eat this red stuff?! Wow . But it looks delicious.
Dishes at dinner with nice company also look very nice . may I ask what is that patch of black spotty stuff in your coconut paradise ?

So Tai Tam Reservoir is really beautiful to look at. Perhaps your skilled pic taking added some points . Hope the next days will be dry so you can go back and reach to the top .

So the shop with the bamboo menu is a snake shop? Would I`ve known that, I`d have snooped around a bit.

I thought you couldn't read the menu on bamboo - they were to small to see. The big letters for the shop name translates "Dragon Gate Inn Snake Stew Specialty Store" (龍門客棧蛇羹專門店). Now you know ..

Yitian, my ability to read chinese characters is very, very limited. Very, very! But thanks, I should have snooped around a bit.

yitian wrote:

Tin-Yau wrote:

I love wasabi too. Your "TTTTT" made me LOL ..... on a bus.

Wonder if your fellow passengers gave your a strange look ..

Oh, I didn`t look up. But probably, yes.

yitian wrote:

Tin-Yau wrote:

Zoom in. On the left side you can see the peppers. HOT! But oh so yummy.

You actually can eat this red stuff?! Wow . But it looks delicious.
Dishes at dinner with nice company also look very nice . may I ask what is that patch of black spotty stuff in your coconut paradise ?.

Oh dear god no, I can`t eat them. The dish was fried with those peppers, the "spiciness" was enough.
The black spotty thing, according to Swan who kindly helped me out, is Pearl Seed.

yitian wrote:

So Tai Tam Reservoir is really beautiful to look at. Perhaps your skilled pic taking added some points . Hope the next days will be dry so you can go back and reach to the top .

Tai Tam IS beautiful unless you go there on weekends. But it`s like that almost everywhere here._________________Water which is too pure has no fish.

My second last day.
I wanted to give Cape D`Aguilar a second chance and when I arrived at the Shau Kei Wan bus terminus to get on bus #9, I was the 6th or 7th person to get on the bus. Compared to what we`ve seen last week that is nothing.

But first, a little story on the side. When I was on the bus, the 2 front row seats, which usually is for 4 people, were occupied by a couple of mailanders. They were talking loud like the are the only ones on the bus. At one point a local woman seemed to had enough and sat right next to the man and suddenly - it was quiet. All the way. Amazing. Some people just need a little education once in a while.

OK, but to Cape D`Aguilar.
Nice view. Weather was better , much better today. No rain. I even got a little sunburn.

Wonderful and patient butterfly

Entrance to the old lighthouse. Two locals were sitting on the steps and moved away so I could shoot a nice pic. No on my account. So sweet.

The lighthouse

A bit further down to the sea

Nice rock right next to the sea. I had to climb on it a bit.

Then, on my way back which is almost 80-90 minutes uphill a school bus stopped and let a domestic helper and me on the bus and the kind driver took us to the oficial bus stop. Now is that nice or what?! Even the domestic helper was surprised.

The other side of HK. The elderly have to work to get by.

HK`s crazy traffic. Central.

Then I wanted to revisit Cheung Chau, for 2 different reasons. First, maybe I can see the snake again - no dice though and second the last days I`ve seen many colourful photos on FB about the peperations for the bun festival that I had to go back.

Old village on Cheung Chau

The streets are beautifully decorated. In the following photos you can see why I HAD to come back.

I`d love to see them in action

The area in front of the Tin Hau temple where the fun will take place.

Buns. Everywhere buns.

A "bun close up". The buns are as big as a fist. Yitian, you wouldn`t tell me what the character means, please.

Those buns are filled with different kinds of fillings: Sesame, red bean, lotus and my favorite black sesame.

A kind of a temporary temple. See the incense coils under the roof?

The tower is ready. What if it rains, I wonder. Or worse, what if a birdie had to pee right above it?

Dinner. Again pork and leek dumplings.

Weather should improve again a bit tomorrow and I`d like to do the dragon back. So, problably see you tomorrow for one last post._________________Water which is too pure has no fish.

Very colorful decor for the festivity - one indeed should not miss such. Thanks for sharing with us . The writing on those buns is “平安”, meaning peace.

Time flies, too bad your trip for this round will be over soon, but the next one will come quickly . Just from this trip, you have been to so many places, seen beautiful things, took lots of high quality and unusual pix, plus met nice people and ate tons of delicious food ...... I’m lucky to have you taking me with you for this adventure - so precious - a million thanks. Enjoy tomorrow and take care .

Very colorful decor for the festivity - one indeed should not miss such. Thanks for sharing with us . The writing on those buns is “平安”, meaning peace.

You are very much welcome, Yitian!
Thank you! Now, that you point out the characters, I actually recognize them.

yitian wrote:

Time flies, too bad your trip for this round will be over soon, but the next one will come quickly . Just from this trip, you have been to so many places, seen beautiful things, took lots of high quality and unusual pix, plus met nice people and ate tons of delicious food ...... I’m lucky to have you taking me with you for this adventure - so precious - a million thanks. Enjoy tomorrow and take care .

Time flies, especially whe one is in the place one loves so much. It was a wonderful visit, again. Yes, I ate tons of delicious food. I wonder what the scale will say tomorrow, nah better not check. The luck to take you along is on my side. _________________Water which is too pure has no fish.

Thanks for the beautiful pix taken from Dragon Back, they look amazing even when the weather is less than ideal . Have a safe flight home 🏡 🙏. Your ice cream 🍦 is not going anywhere - it will be waiting for you till you return .

Nope! It could/should be better. Maybe ... I just should stay longer in HK.

yitian wrote:

for the beautiful pix taken from Dragon Back, they look amazing even when the weather is less than ideal . Have a safe flight home 🏡 🙏. Your ice cream 🍦 is not going anywhere - it will be waiting for you till you return .

Dragon Back is always nice.
About my icecream, I`m not sure, this is a new kind and I`m not sure if it will become a "regular" item among the "drumstick" family. I hope so, though.

As you can imagine, I`m back home, back home where it`s cold. It`s around 10 degrees during the day - so cold.

Nope! It could/should be better. Maybe ... I just should stay longer in HK.

Excellent idea

Tin-Yau wrote:

About my icecream, I`m not sure, this is a new kind and I`m not sure if it will become a "regular" item among the "drumstick" family. I hope so, though.

I hope this will become a regular so that you can enjoy every time when you go (and one day when I find time to go too ). On the other hand, if this is a limited time edition, it will make your trip this time even more special. Win win situation .

Tin-Yau wrote:

As you can imagine, I`m back home, back home where it`s cold. It`s around 10 degrees during the day - so cold.

So glad to see you safely returned home. Summer is coming to welcome you home . Thanks again for taking me with you on your over 2-week adventure in HK, plus many many days in the past .

Safran wrote:

Although not writing for lack of time....I enjoyed watching your great pics very much....bringing back wonderful HK memories.

So glad to know you are with us during your busy days. Hope you will be able to relax more soon .